Assembly for retaining dry cells



March 8, 1966 E. .1. SETTEMBRE 3,239,387

ASSEMBLY FOR RETAINING DRY CELLS Filed Sept. 9, 1963 FIG. I

INVENTOR,

ERMINIO J. SETTEMBRE M M 6. M ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,239,387 ASSEMBLY FOR RETAINING DRY CELLS Erminio J. Settembre, Oakhurst, N.J., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,756 1 Claim. (Cl. 136-135) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates in general to an assembly for retaining dry cells in electrical contact, and in particular to an assembly for retaining magnesium type cells in electrical contact.

An object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive assembly for retaining dry cells in electrical contact.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an annular ferrous ring aflixed by crimping to the periphery of the dry cell at the top end thereof. The annular ferrous ring is provided with an upwardly extending tab. This cell assembly can then be used in conjunction with printed circuitry by providing holes therein to receive the positive and negative terminals of the cell; that is, the projecting cell cap and the upwardly extending tab on the annular ferrous ring.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a retaining assembly which comprises a conductive ring member partially cut away so that a raised portion is provided for half the circumference of the ring. An electrically conductive inverted cup-like member of spring metal material is centrally disposed Within the ring and insula'tably spaced therefrom. The inverted cup-like member includes at its open end a lip that is afiixed to the wall of the inverted cup. The base of the inverted cup-like member includes a pair of spaced linear parallel slots which terminate at the wall of the inverted cup. These two linear parallel slots divide the base of the inverted cup into three coplanar segments, namely two outer arcuate segments and an intermediate segment. The intermediate segment is partially cut away at the center to form two oppositely disposed arcuate end surfaces for engaging and holding in place the projecting cell cap of a dry cell which is inserted into the space therebetween. That is, when the projecting cell cap of a dry cell is forced into the space creatd by the partial cutting away of the inner segment, the arcuate end surfaces bite into the cap. The open end of the cup is then pressed onto the bottom of another dry cell.

The invention can be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of a dry cell assembly according to One embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view of a retaining assembly for 'dry cells according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the assembly includes an annular ferrous ring 14 hearing an upwardly extending tab 16, the ring 14 being afiixed by crimping, or other suitable means, to the periphery of a dry cell 12 at the top end thereof. The projecting cell cap 18 and upwardly extending tab 16 serve as the terminals of the cell for use in conjunction 3,239,387 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 with printed circuitry or other conventional electrical connecting means.

Referring now to FIG. 2, at 20 there is shown a conductive ring member imbedded in a phenolic insulating material 24. The conductive ring member 20 is provided with a cut away portion such that a raised portion is provided for half the circumference of the ring 20. An electrically conductive inverted cup-like member 22 of spring metal material, also imbedded in insulating material 24, is centrally disposed within the ring 20 and insulat-ably spaced therefrom by the phenolic material 24. The inverted cup-like member includes at its open end a lip 26 that is aflixed to the wall 28 of the inverted cup 22. The base 30 of the inverted cup 22 is provided with a pair of spaced linear parallel slots 32 and 33 which terminate at the wall 28 of the inverted cup 22. These two parallel slots 32 and 33 divide the base 30 of the inverted cup 22 into three coplanar segments; namely, two outer arcuate segments 34 and 35, and an intermediate segment 36. As shown, the intermediate segment 36 is partially cut away at the center to form two oppositely disposed arcuate surf-aces 38 and 39 for engaging and holding in place the projecting cell cap 40 of a dry cell 42. The open end of the inverted cup 22 is then pressed onto the bottom of a second dry cell 44 to provide a battery circuit.

The magnesium cells referred to herein can be of the conventional N size type including a cylindrical cell wall of magnesium with a depolarizer mix of manganese dioxide and carbon black therein. Extending through the center of the cell is a carbon rod conductor terminating in the upwardly projecting cell cap.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are applicable to other dry cells as for example, zinc cells.

The foregoing description is to be considered merely illustrative and not in limitation of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

An assembly for retaining dry cells in electrical contact comprising, a conductive ring member imbedded in an insulating material, an electrically conductive inverted cup-like member of spring metal material centrally disposed within the ring and insulatably spaced therefrom by said insulating material, the base of said cup-like member including a pair of spaced linear parallel slots which divide the base of said inverted cup into three co-planar segments, the intermediate segment of which is partially cut away at the center to form two oppositely disposed arcuate surfaces for engaging and holding in place the projecting cell cap of a dry cell.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,342,001 6/1920 Schulte 136-135 1,550,188 8/1925 Verron l36135 1,723,727 8/1929 Eckstein 136135 2,616,940 11/1952 Reid 136100 WINSTON A. DOUGLAS, Primary Examiner.

ALLEN B. CURTIS, DONALD L. WALTON,

Examiners, 

